This graduate-level studio in the Master of Urban Planning program explores the Scajaquada Creek and its potential for development as a cultural and ecological asset for the City of Buffalo.
Students assessed past and existing conditions of the creek through the lens of its historic significance, linkages to cultural and natural assets such as Buffalo's Olmsted-designed park and parkway system, and its continued challenges with pollution and environmental contamination.
The studio proposes several solutions for the development of the Scajaquada Creek corridor, including a redesign rather than removal of the Scajaquada Expressway that runs alongside and over the creek. This reimagining of the Scajaquada Expressway would enhance pedestrian and cyclist access as well as increase safety around the expressway. Students also propose a linear park at the mouth of the creek, where it meets Buffalo's Black Rock Harbor on the western edge of the city. The Scajaquada Inclusive Pocket Park would link with existing greenways along Buffalo's Niagara River corridor as well as integrate with Buffalo's Olmsted park system and the surrounding cultural landscape.